How To Reverse Diabetes

DaltheJigsaw

Potentially massive news for those who suffer Type 2 diabetes — you may be able to reverse it, without the “help” of Big Pharma and their medications. Val Willingham reports for CNN:

When Jonathan Legg of Bethesda, Maryland, got a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at 39, he was shocked. “I had always been pretty active,” said Legg. “But it was a big wake-up call, that what I was doing and my current weight were not OK.”

http://www.cnn.com/2011/HEALTH/01/28/reverse.diabetes/?hpt=Sbin

compassionate_warrior

Great article, Leon. This info has been around awhile, though. It's really just "managing" the condition, not "curing" it, because those diagnosed w/Type 2 diabetes need to restrict their diet for the rest of their lives. But at least there is this alternative to the pharma route. And there's Tibetan medicine, too, which really helps with diabetes and pre-diabetes. There's a variety of herbs that helps lower and control blood sugar.

DaltheJigsaw

Great article, Leon. This info has been around awhile, though. It's really just "managing" the condition, not "curing" it, because those diagnosed w/Type 2 diabetes need to restrict their diet for the rest of their lives. But at least there is this alternative to the pharma route. And there's Tibetan medicine, too, which really helps with diabetes and pre-diabetes. There's a variety of herbs that helps lower and control blood sugar.

Thank you for sharing!
This is really important to me as, most of my family have diabetes.:(

compassionate_warrior

There's a Tibetan doctor practicing in Marin County, you know. Dikey Nyerongsha is her name. She'd tell your family to cut carbs, exercise regularly, then she'd give them herbs.

DaltheJigsaw

There's a Tibetan doctor practicing in Marin County, you know. Dikey Nyerongsha is her name. She'd tell your family to cut carbs, exercise regularly, then she'd give them herbs.

Thank you!
Yea, they are doing the whole modern medicine thing...

Ada_B

Losing weight can help Type II diabetes but for most people, it is not reversible or curable and without medications, they'd die.

FWIW diabetes is the biggest cause of blindness in the West, the biggest cause of chronic kidney failure and amputations, plus it is linked to a high rate of heart disease and strokes. It's one of the biggest killers.

So please, if you need medical help, get it. Modern medicine does save lives - until the discovery of insulin in the 1940s, often diabetes meant certain death. Now with care, people can live long, healthy lives, even with Type I diabetes.

Diet and herbs can be helpful for some people but for many it isn't enough.

I always note that people who aren't seriously ill like to dis modern medicine. Personally, I am extremely grateful for it.

compassionate_warrior

Dr, Dikey is based in Berkeley, Leon, If you ever want her contact info, I can dig it up for you.

I had a friend who suddenly began to go blind. She'd never been diagnosed with diabetes, though her doc was monitoring her, because she had a family history of it. She was fine, then suddenly, she started going blind, and she's an artist by profession, so she panicked. After going to the doc and discovering her sugar was really high, she threw herself into an intensive exercise program, and restored her sight. Her doc and nurse said they'd never seen anyone bring their sugar levels down so fast.

Mountains

Much more about diabetes (type 2) is unknown than is known. No one really understands the mechanisms of insulin resistance. We just know about the consequences. "Reversing" is the wrong word I think. I'm not aware of any documented case of someone with diagnosed DM T2 being "cured" of it. It can be gotten under good control, but you're never cured.

DaltheJigsaw

Dr, Dikey is based in Berkeley, Leon, If you ever want her contact info, I can dig it up for you.

I had a friend who suddenly began to go blind. She'd never been diagnosed with diabetes, though her doc was monitoring her, because she had a family history of it. She was fine, then suddenly, she started going blind, and she's an artist by profession, so she panicked. After going to the doc and discovering her sugar was really high, she threw herself into an intensive exercise program, and restored her sight. Her doc and nurse said they'd never seen anyone bring their sugar levels down so fast.

Thank you very much!

compassionate_warrior

. "Reversing" is the wrong word I think. I'm not aware of any documented case of someone with diagnosed DM T2 being "cured" of it. It can be gotten under good control, but you're never cured.

That's what I meant when I said that what the report describes is just "managing" the illness, with lifelong diet restrictions and exercise. There is no cure.

seeker242

Dr. Neal Bernard, et al, have been reversing type II diabetes for over a decade by putting people on a low-fat vegan diet and nearly all the people are able to stop their medication and be fine without it. http://www.nealbarnard.org/diabetes_tour.cfm

compassionate_warrior

What is the role of dietary fat in blood sugar issues? This is the second time this has been mentioned on this site in the last few months. Does anyone know? On a low-carbohydrate diet, dietary fat doesn't contribute to body fat, so that's not the connection. But someone mentioned once that dietary fat influences insulin or blood sugar in some way. Any clues?

a low-fat vegan diet

Ada_B

Sorry, I'm conflating Type I and Type II diabetes. Also, most of the people I know with Type II are seriously ill with it and most are on insulin. Their condition is not reversible: I know most of them through the blind society my mum is involved in (my mum's blind). One lady has lost both legs, is totally blind and now her arms are having problems.

seeker242

What is the role of dietary fat in blood sugar issues? This is the second time this has been mentioned on this site in the last few months. Does anyone know? On a low-carbohydrate diet, dietary fat doesn't contribute to body fat, so that's not the connection. But someone mentioned once that dietary fat influences insulin or blood sugar in some way. Any clues?

a low-fat vegan diet

I'm not exactly sure as I have not read on it extensively. An analysis of the studies may answer that. http://care.diabetesjournals.org/content/29/8/1777.full I would bet he answers that in his book but I have not read it yet. http://www.amazon.com/Neal-Barnards-Program-Reversing-Diabetes/dp/1594865280

I do know that it has been reported to be 3 times more effective than the standard ADA diet guidelines for type II. It is probably related to the mechanics behind the fact that the diabetes rate among vegetarians and vegans is much lower then the general population but I could not say for sure.

Dakini

Sorry, I'm conflating Type I and Type II diabetes. Also, most of the people I know with Type II are seriously ill with it and most are on insulin. Their condition is not reversible: I know most of them through the blind society my mum is involved in (my mum's blind). One lady has lost both legs, is totally blind and now her arms are having problems.

The trick, Ada_B, is to catch the disease before it progresses so far as neuropathy, and eventually, amputation. If caught when symptoms first begin (ideally at the pre-diabetic stage, or onset of diabetes), then diet, exercise, and herbs can work wonders. Even when someone has lost their site, it's possible to restore healthy functioning to the pancreas, and "reverse" the symptoms, restore eyesight and overall health. Unfortuntately, too many doctors are convinced insulin is the only solution. Insulin, from what I understand, causes serious problems when used long-term. I've read that in some European countries and Asia, at the first sign of pre-diabetes, exercise, low-carb diet and herbs are prescribed, and diabetes itself is thus averted.

It's shocking how many doctors and nurses here in the US believe "there is no such thing as pre-diabetes", therefore dooming conscientious patients hoping to avoid contracting diabetes, unless they fire their doctor and are able to find someone better informed and pro-active.